Outreach Programs

Education Programs Technology Outreach Program International Programs Distinguished Lecturer Series International Center for Materials Research MRL Diversity Fellowship MRL Travel Fellowship

Teacher Intern: Vorakarn Chanyavanich Faculty Supervisor: Jim Allen and Kevin Plaxco Department: Physics and Chemistry

2001 Research Project: Measurement of TeraHertz Circular Dichroism.

Measure the THz CD signatures of biopolymers to assess feasibility of TeraHertz Circular Dichroism spectroscopy as a life detection strategy Why do we use TeraHertz radiation?
THz spectral features are a universal property of folded polymers > 500 atoms. It is a frequency at which biological, chiral molecules exhibit strong CD.
The experimental objectives were to design and construct a TeraHertz circular dichroism (THz CD) spectrometer and then measure the THz CD signal in a macroscopic system of compression springs.

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2003 Curriculum Project: A framework for teaching Science as inquiry.

The aim of the project is the development of a framework for creating inquiry-based web-portal projects to facilitate student research. The aim is to have students explore and communicate HOW DO WE KNOW about the subject matter, in this case the chosen context is astrobiology, and to highlight the interdisciplinary nature of science (biology, chemistry, physics, engineering). Using compelling and context-rich images, students will be motivated to develop and conduct an inquiry project to address the question of HOW DO WE KNOW the context of a body of knowledge. Students will learn to develop a web-portal and learn how to utilize it to as a framework for the motivation, organization, and communication of their individually directed inquiry and investigations.

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